


Someone Call the Doctor

by mangorochi



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Drama & Romance, F/M, Forbidden Love, M/M, Sexual Tension, Tattoos, Yikes, doctor!baekhyun, sorry y'all lol I just had to, tatooartist!chanyeol, welcome to: mango starts another story she probs will update every five years
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-19 18:27:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20214271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mangorochi/pseuds/mangorochi
Summary: Aspiring doctor Baekhyun has seemingly everything going for him in life. However, getting a drunk tattoo and accidentally falling in love with the tattoo artist was definitely not on his to- do list, especially when the more he gets to know about Chanyeol, the more he realizes the tattoo artist with the dark past is everything he's always avoided- and more.





	1. Bad Dream

**Author's Note:**

> ik this seems super out of the blue but hear me out: doctor bbh+ tattoo artist chanyeol?? is that not the hottest idea ever??? I myself dont even know why im writing this LOL but I just got excited thinking about the idea and I had to get it out! really not sure if I'll be able to keep this writing momentum going, but I'll try (also if given enough support/ feedback hehe...) so in short, this fic is my newborn baby rn! im def entertaining the idea of making this a multi chapter story but we will see! enjoy xo. (p.s. we all need a friend like jongdae <3)

_Love is a sickness, an addiction, overdose_

_It’s harder to control as time goes by_

“Why do we… do the things we do?” 

An anguished look painted the usually handsome features of the light- haired man currently sprawled all over the large bed behind Baekhyun, limbs dangling over the edges of the mattress like a limp ragdoll.

Baekhyun suppressed a smile and rolled his eyes, keeping his focus on the glowing screen in front of him, his fingers flitting over the keyboard nonstop.

“Luhan, stop being dramatic. You’re just being paranoid like always, it’s not like he’s going to break up with you or anything,” Baekhyun said, unable to keep the humor out of his voice, despite his best friend’s painful groan from behind him.

“Don’t say that!” Luhan grumbled. “Don’t say the B- word.”

“And the B- word is…?” Baekhyun asked sarcastically.

“You know... break up!” Luhan almost whispered the two words out, flipping over onto his stomach to watch Baekhyun’s back as the med student furiously clacked on his keyboard. “And you don’t know Sehun like I do. He’s finicky. Like, wants to hook up and see each other exclusively, but won’t text or check in on me or anything. So am I supposed to read his mind, or what?!” Luhan breathed heavily like a crazed madman, forcing Baekhyun to stop typing and swivel around in his chair to look critically at his friend. 

“... Luhan, you do realize you guys have only been dating for, what? A week? Week and a half?” Baekhyun tried reasoning with his eccentric best friend, but he already knew there was no getting through to him and his thick skull. He was starting to seriously question why he had come over to his friend’s apartment in the first place, when he was well aware he never got anything accomplished while in his presence.

“But I’ve never felt the way I do than when I’m with Sehun! I just hate the way I’m putting more effort into making this work than he is.” Luhan sighed, pouting slightly, his lower lip jutting out in a puppy- like way that almost made Baekhyun feel for his friend. “Like I’m doing double the work and somehow getting half the benefits. How is that even fair?”

Baekhyun sighed. Idiots like Luhan just had to learn lessons through the hard way. Maybe it was an artist thing and the way his friend had some sadistic need to “feel pain and raw emotions,” as he once put it. From Baekhyun’s point of view, it was more of an “I’m going to ignore all common sense and rational thought and jump to the most absurd conclusions,” but he couldn’t exactly say that to Luhan without tasting paint for the next few weeks. The whole thing also just reminded Baekhyun why relationships were so messy and why it was definitely the smarter move not dealing with anyone and just focusing on his career at the moment.

“Well Lu, what do you want me to do about it? What do _you_ want to do about it?” Baekhyun had to use his doctor voice when talking to Luhan like this- it seemed to calm him down.

Luhan gave a silent little pause before a devilish grin spread across his face. “Let’s get fucked up tonight.”

* * *

And it was with a begrudging grunt of approval and many, many claps of delight and squeals, followed by a whirlwind tornado (AKA an excited Luhan) wreaking havoc throughout the room in search of proper clubbing outfits, that Baekhyun found himself seated on the kitchen tabletop, a spread of different makeup products pooled around him, and Luhan standing in front of him, currently in the process of spreading something sparkly and glittery across his lids. 

“This is going to be so much fun. Also I texted in our group chat with Jongdae and he said he’d meet us there,” Luhan spoke rapidly as he worked with a feather- light touch across Baekhyun’s face, dusting the apples of his cheek with something akin to molten gold despite his whines and nosies of protest. 

“Oh shut up, you look hot,” Luhan muttered, rolling his eyes. “There. Done! I honestly would bang you if I wasn’t interested in having my dick in anything other than Sehun’s hand-”

“NOPE! No, _no_, I do not want to hear that sentence or anything else related to the intimate workings of your relationship with that man,” Baekhyun said loudly, cutting his best friend off from saying anything else that would make him want to permanently clog his ears. 

Luhan laughed and smacked Baekhyun’s arm before tugging out his phone and handing it to Baekhyun to check his appearance with the camera function. “If I don’t black out tonight, I’m going to be one sad, hungover bitch tomorrow.”

Baekhyun let out a couple chuckles and fixed a few loose strands of hair that dangled over his eyes. He had to admit- Luhan’s skills always managed to make him look slightly more appealing to the eye than usual. His eyes were dark and shimmery, like the ocean under the glowing light of the moon, while the rest of his face was matte and appeared almost porcelain- like, with his cheeks and lips emitting a soft rosy hue. He handed the phone back. “Oh Luhan. Don’t worry- you’re already two of those things!” His blond haired friend shoved his shoulder playfully, causing Baekhyun to cackle. 

He had to admit, though. Tonight would be fun. It would give him a well- needed break from the paper he’d been working tirelessly on for the past week. Usually Baekhyun was pretty good about maintaining some sort of balance between school, work, and friends, but lately, he’d been absolutely crunched for time in making the deadline for this paper. However, Baekhyun knew he had to stop and give himself a break, otherwise he’d absolutely burn him out. 

And there was no better way to let loose than to get hammered with his friends and so shit- faced he wouldn’t be able to tell his left hand from his right. Normally he’d frown upon such reckless and irresponsible behavior, but it had been a long time since he’d really gone all out with friends, and what were his 20s for, if not living life to its fullest? 

The car ride to the club was short, with Luhan fussing over his fluffy hair the entire time and Baekhyun having to constantly tug on the waistband of the shredded black jeans that were definitely a size too small on him. In fact, his entire outfit was one size too small, on account of all the clothes belonging to Luhan, who had a slightly smaller build than himself. 

The two thanked the rideshare driver they had called as they climbed out of the car and eyed the line outside of the club, which appeared to already be filled from wall to wall with people- most of whom already had one too many drinks despite it barely being midnight. 

“Baekhyun! Lu!” A familiar voice called to the two toward the front of the line, and they both sighed in relief at the comfort of not having to wait in the back of the line as they joined their friend up front.

Jongdae gave a long whistle of approval as he eyed the two from head to toe, making them both giggle like a couple of schoolgirls. “Goddamn, you two look good. Luhan’s even wearing his sparkly black choker- he only wears that when he’s planning on calling the hospital in advance to let them know he’ll need his stomach pumped!”

Jongdae and Baekhyun laughed as Luhan smacked Jongdae, grumbling about something along the lines of how he was most certainly not a lightweight, and could definitely handle more than five shots. 

After only a couple minutes of standing out in the warm air, feeling the vibrating airwaves from the loud music inside the doors just up ahead, the trio stepped up next in line, flashing their IDs at the bouncer, who tipped his head and granted them access past the velvet red rope barring the entrance. 

Luhan squealed as if it were his 21st birthday and he were drinking for the first time.

“Fuck! I really needed this tonight,” he yelled over the ear- deafening music, brightly- colored strobe lights illuminating his face in different colors every so often. Jongdae and Baekhyun could only agree and followed suit as Baekhyun led them over to the bar, although all three of them were well- acquainted with club SM, as it had been the meeting spot of many weekend nights when Baekhyun had finished with his finals last year, and Jongdae had finally broken up with the horrible guy he’d been involved with that everyone else hated. 

One shots, two, three. It was easy for Baekhyun to down the first couple of drinks, relishing the slow burn in his throat as he moved his body to the rhythm of the songs blasting throughout the hot room. There were definitely more than a couple strangers’ hands lingering longer on his body than they should have, but Baekhyun couldn’t bring himself to care as the alcohol worked its way throughout his system and his movements became more and more erratic. 

His forehead was dotted with sweat, his body feeling about ten degrees too hot as he molded himself into the frontside of the stranger behind him and he felt strong hands grip his hips. In his hand was a half- finished drink that he really shouldn’t have taken, but since the person sitting next to him had ordered it for him so nicely, who was he to turn down a free drink?

Besides, Jongdae was surprisingly still mostly sober, having said something along the lines of sacrificing himself so that at least one of them would be able to be clear headed enough to call a cab home.

Out of nowhere, Baekhyun felt a hand grab his wrist, and he was torn away from the person whose dick print had been in the process of engraved into his right ass cheek. He stumbled, having trouble walking straight in the dim light, and his half - finished drink sloshed over his hand, making it sticky and disgusting. Although Baekhyun was too enebriated to really care at that point.

“Baekhyun, I- I have th-the greatest idea! Ever!” A clearly wasted Luhan slurred his words in an effort to get them out and he beamed at Baekhyun, who blinked in response.

“Huh?”

“Tattoos!” Luhan laughed drunkenly and looped his arm with Baekhyun’s, stumbling through the dance floor and making it halfway to the door before the third counterpart of their trio quickly showed up like a mother hen.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, it is my job as the mostly sober friend to make sure you two don’t walk out into the streets and get fucked up more than you already are. You ready to go home?” Jongdae asked the two, arms out to steady their swaying bodies.

“Naw,” Baekhyun blurted out, “We’re getting tattoos! Matching?”

Luhan nodded eagerly. “Matching!”

Jongdae’s mouth hung open and he gawked at the two drunk idiots he called friends before he closed it back up and shrugged. “What the hell. This will be a funny video for you guys to wake up to later.”

And so it was with much effort on Jongdae’s part that he managed to somehow lug both Baekhyun and Luhan down the street to the nearest tattoo shop. They stumbled around as if their legs were made of jelly, although Jongdae kept them pinned firmly to his sides by wrapping his arms around each one of their biceps. In all honesty, he should’ve just brought two backpack leashes. 

Luhan was the first one to break free, barging into the shop, his arrival announced not only by his victorious fist pump into the air, but also by the tinkering of a little bell above the door. The shop was on the smaller side, and the walls were painted a dark blue that made it seem even smaller. There was minimal art on the walls, although there was a healthy amount of potted plants in various corners of the shop, and next to each tattoo bed. The most intriguing part was probably the ceiling, which was covered in all kinds of glass, dangling, colorful, little ornaments that made the entire ceiling look as if it were constantly shimmering. The shop was also mostly empty, with just one person behind the front counter, and another near the back of the shop, sitting next to a tattoo bed. A soft song played from speakers hidden somewhere, and it gave the shop an overall cozy vibe.

Of course, Luhan didn’t have anything near the mental capacity at the moment to take interest in anything besides the nearest tattoo artist, who just so happened to be a man leaning against the counter to the right of the door.

Jongdae and Baekhyun quickly followed suit, with Baekhyun throwing his arm around Luhan’s shoulders and the two of them staggering to the counter.

The man arched an eyebrow, a bemused smile on his face. By the way he nonchalantly put down the book he was reading, it was presumed that drunken customers were no rarity at this hour.

“Can I help you guys with something?” He asked Baekhyun and Luhan, who looked at each other seriously and back at the man, both nodding furiously.

“We’re here to, uh,” Luhan’s head lolled on his shoulders before he straightened back up, “to get matching tattoos! Or not. Doesn’t matta to me!” He giggled and Baekhyun laughed too, although more at his friends drunken state than anything. He wasn’t so much a crazy drunk as he was the stupid one. The one who would follow his friend into a tattoo parlor while drunk off their asses, for example. 

The man behind the counter nodded and pulled out a book of sorts. “Okay, well, you two can take a look through this, see if there’s anything you like. Just a recommendation though- you guys might not want to get anything too big. It’ll hurt,” He glanced at Jongdae, who stood behind Luhan and Baekhyun, silently laughing, “And you will most definitely regret it when you sober up a little.” The last part was directed more at Jongdae, who shared a knowing smile with the worker before taking a seat in one of the comfy chairs lined up against the large windows.

As Luhan and Baekhyun mulled over the designs that filled the book’s pages, their oohs and ahhs must have piqued the interest of the other man in the back, because he rose from his seat and strolled over to where the counter was. 

“Drunk?” He asked the man behind the counter. The other chuckled.

“Yup.” He emphasized the ‘p’ sound, popping it with his lips. 

At the sound, Baekhyun momentarily raised his head, and locked eyes with a second man who he hadn’t seen yet. And he was most definitely intoxicated and already sorely in need of a glass of whatever, but the eye contact seemed to suck whatever moisture he had left right out of his mouth.

He was _beautiful_. It was the only word he could find that would describe the man. Long legs were crossed and made them look miles long as he leaned against the wall, hands shoved into ripped dark wash jeans. The simple white T- shirt he had on made him look more like a model than anything, and complimented his dyed, nearly- white hair. It was also styled up and to the side, but more in an effortless, “I woke up like this” vibe rather than stiff and unnatural, and revealed an undercut that Baekhyun found unlawfully sexy. Baekhyun tried not to stare too much at the sleeve of colorful tattoos that snaked up the man's muscular arm, disappearing under his shirt sleeve. Baekhyun didn't even want to get started on how perfect his facial features were. It was unfair. Especially when he felt so boring in comparison, and thank god he let Luhan do his makeup because he didn’t think he’d be able to stand in the presence of such an Adonis with a bare face, and those piercing eyes had to be illegal, and was that a black earring dangling from his left ear-?

A low chuckle brought Baekhyun out of his stupor, and he quickly closed his mouth when he realized it was open.

“You okay, little thing? Need a glass of water?” The white- haired god practically purred, his voice low and silky smooth. 

The pet name made the apple's of Baekhyun's cheeks turn a light pink._ The only thing I need a glass of is you… tall and handsome and beautiful_, he thought in his head.

The man chuckled again and shook his head. “Not sure I can agree to that in such a state. Consent, you know?”

Baekhyun’s cheeks flared red. Had he really said that out loud? He wished the earth would just crack open and swallow him right out. 

“This one!” Luhan piped up, saving Baekhyun from any further pain, and pointing to an elegant drawing of two hearts, a ribbon wrapped around them with small flowers adorning the top and bottom. “This one is perfect. Our Baekie here is a doctor, ya know!”

“Luhan, _don’t_,” Baekhyun blushed, meekly pushing his friend in embarrassment. He’d always hated people who flaunted their dreams and aspirations, found it childish and pointless. 

The white- haired man raised his eyebrows in surprise, turning to his fellow artist as they traded amused looks. 

“Wow, a doctor, huh? You must be very smart then,” he smiled good- naturedly, pushing off the wall to lead Baekhyun and Luhan farther into the shop. 

Baekhyun pouted his lips and messed with his hair, uncomfortable with the sudden focus on his career. “I- I guess.”

“So then does this mean I should call you doctor-?” The man stopped and turned toward Baekhyun, letting Luhan fall into one of the leather beds to his right, where the man behind the counter was already preparing the tattoo tools. 

Baekhyun stumbled back, sitting his butt down when the tattoo bed hit the back of his knees and he was forced to crane his neck to look up at the man. He gulped audibly, already feeling his eyes hurt at how attractive the man was. He was staring so long at the man that he hadn’t even realized he was supposed to respond to the question. 

“Does this doctor have a name?” The man prompted again, seating himself right next to Baekhyun, who hurriedly cleared his throat.

“U- uh, yes! Baekhyun, my name is. Baekhyun,” he stuttered, forcing himself to lay flat on his stomach just so he wouldn’t have to look at the man again.

He chuckled, snapping on a pair of latex gloves and preparing his own tools. “Okay, Doctor Baekhyun. I’m Chanyeol.”

Baekhyun buried his face in the crooks of his arms, a hot, coiling feeling in his lower stomach at the words “doctor Baekhyun.” Somehow medical credentials had never sounded sexier than through Chanyeol’s sinful lips. Baekhyun wondered what else he could do with them-

“Okay, uh. The back. Uh, lower back. That’s where I want it,” Baekhyun blurted out quickly, his mind not even really registering what it was he was about to do. He felt a slight pressure on his lower left back, and raised his head slightly to look at Chanyeol placing his hand on the exposed skin. 

“Here?”

“Yes,” Baekhyun practically whispered, plopping his head back down, a small smile adorning his features. It had been so long since Baekhyun had truly felt such an instant connection and chemistry with anyone, although perhaps the liquid courage running through his system was partly to blame for the intensified reactions to Chanyeol’s every word and touch. Had Baekhyun been sober, he probably never would have stepped foot in such a place with such little thought and preparation. 

Chanyeol seemed to say something else, but Baekhyun just couldn’t open his eyes, and the soft music playing in the background, paired with the buzzing of Chanyeol’s tattoo machine, was the perfect lullaby to rock a drunk Baekhyun to sleep, his mouth slightly ajar and his head turned toward Chanyeol. 

The tattoo artist smiled softly, silently admiring the cute little petal lips that were parted and the thin line of drool that pooled onto the leather of the bed. Chanyeol didn’t mind though, he thought it was cute. He also wasn’t the biggest fan of drunk tattoos, purely because of the logistics being the body wouldn’t take the pigments as well, and drunken clients were always fidgety and moving around, but figured he’d be a hypocrite if he turned down every drunkard that walked through the doors of Loey Ink. He himself had one too many drunk tattoos than he was proud to admit, done by both his own hands and by friends. 

And how could he say no to such a cute client? Chanyeol wasn’t one to judge on appearances, but needless to say, it had been a surprise to hear Baekhyun was a doctor, what with his shredded, tight black jeans, heavy makeup, and wildly mussed hair. However, Chanyeol took in the slender fingers that dangle over the head of the bed, and mentally noted that they looked like they’d be perfect doctor hands- beautiful, firm and soft- looking. He mentally pictured what they’d look like wrapped around a stethoscope. Or, his co-

_Nope_. Definitely was _not_ going to get a boner while tattooing a client. Especially not with Jongin watching him like a hawk behind him. His friend hadn’t missed the way Chanyeol’s eyes had raked over Baekhyun when the two had first come in. 

He was also thankful Baekhyun had miraculously fallen asleep, just so he wouldn’t have to deal with him moving around and whatnot. He’d actually enjoyed talking to the other, didn’t even really mind the fact that he could smell the alcohol on him from a mile away, just because he knew he knew drunk words were sober thoughts. And so he could silently admire his adorable features, although he’d also enjoyed making the babe blush wildly. 

So it was with the peaceful buzzing of the machine, and his lower lip tucked between his teeth that Chanyeol pushed all his dirty thoughts out of his head and focused on his job. Although, he had to lament the fact that Baekhyun’s tattoo was quite a generic one, and his heart thumped painfully at the possibility of it being the doctor’s first. 

Nevertheless, Jongin and Luhan’s cheerful chatter behind him allowed him to take his mind off Baekhyun, and he set off to tattooing Baekhyun, who snoozed away peacefully, who had somehow completely shut down and luckily escaping the pains of the needle injecting ink into beneath his skin while away on a pleasant dream involving him, a certain platinum haired man, and a bowl of strawberries. 

* * *

It was only when Baekhyun awoke the next morning to his cat meowing loudly and pawing at his face, a throbbing sensation in his lower back, an even more painful sensation in his temples, and a text message from an unknown message containing a picture of a very good- looking man smiling next to the head of slumbering Baekhyun, that he knew he’d royally fucked up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I didnt make luhan too annoying/ bbh too boring... and yes that was pcy joking about consent but also not really bc y'all better now that doing anything under the influence is a no- no! also comments and feedback are much appreciated and do wonders in keeping this writing gal motivated..... :) love, mango mwah


	2. TTYL, XO

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not as much going on in this chapter since it's mostly setting up future ones but also I just realized that, wow, I'm really not that creative with these fic titles huh? might be changing this one to "Tell Me Where it Hurts" but not sure yet! lmk what you guys think :-) (also p.s. keep in mind that idk anything about tattoos lmaooo dont think about everything too deeply) enjoy

Baekhyun screamed into his pillow, startling his cat and causing him to jump in fright and scamper out his room.

“How could you have let me do that?!” He yelled into his phone, using his free hand to tug at the roots of his hair, wanting to practically rip the strands right out.

“Well, at the time, a very drunk me- and you, might I add- thought it was a good idea. I mean, they _ do _ look cute!” Luhan’s weak attempt at placating Baekhyun’s fury only managed to further infuriate the man, who groaned loudly and jabbed violently at his phone, hanging up on his friend without saying another word. 

He leapt out of bed, inspecting his back again in the full- body mirror that hung on the back of his bedroom door. 

Yup. The tattoo was still there. Granted, it didn’t hurt too much, but the area was red and felt sore and stung, almost like a bad sunburn. And it had been a hell of a surprise to wake up to. For an instance, Baekhyun thought it was all a fever dream, but when he’d rubbed his eyes and opened them back up and the stupid heart was still there, he knew he couldn’t be that delusional.

It also didn’t look all that cute to Baekhyun, who grimaced as he examined the area, covered with a clear bandage. The only thing he was grateful for was the fact that the tattoo itself really wasn’t all that big, barely the size of the palm of his hand.

Still. He was going to be kicking his own ass (and Luhan’s- and most _ definitely _ Jongdae’s) for the next month, or however long it would take for his fresh ink to stop throbbing in pain and healed enough so he could get it lasered off. 

Speaking of healing, Baekhyun checked his phone again, opening up the most recent text message and stared at the picture of him and some stranger. It was hard to ignore the raging hangover he was currently doing his best to ignore, but he racked his brain in an effort to remember just who the _ hell _ the man grinning at the camera was. 

All he remembered was dancing at club SM, taking a couple shots with Luhan and Jongdae, dancing some more, taking some more shots, and then… walking along the sidewalk to get somewhere… and then something about meeting the white- haired man? He couldn’t remember anything after that, not even how he got home. 

It was slightly alarming, but Baekhyun knew nothing else could have happened while he was seemingly gone. Jongdae was a dick, but he would never do anything to endanger his friends, especially not ones like Luhan and Baekhyun, with whom he’d endured countless hardships with. 

Baekhyun’s memories were all jumbled, with spots of time here and there missing that he just couldn’t seem to account for. He just couldn’t believe how irresponsible he’d been. What was he thinking? It was clear, whatever the actual rationale was for his actions, that he’d needed a break more than he thought he did, because Baekhyun couldn’t remember the last time he’d let himself get this wasted.

A tattoo. _ A tattoo _. Just about one of the most permanent things Baekhyun could have done to his body. How were clients supposed to take him seriously and trust him with their problems when it seemed he couldn’t even make it through one night without doing something stupid?

Baekhyun sighed, rubbing his temples with his knuckles. He’d meet up with Jongdae later- that is, if he could even manage to change into fresh clothes and get out the door without spilling his guts everywhere. He’d find out everything from last night- who the white- haired man was, why he had his number, and _ how he’d be able to get rid of the tattoo _ .   


* * *

“Well, at the time I thought it’d be a funny idea,” Jongdae sipped his stupid, green smoothie nonchalantly and shrugged. Baekhyun wanted to take the drink and dump it all over his friend’s freshly permed hair.

“And y- you just let us?!” Baekhyun couldn’t believe it. Why was everyone saying “at the time?” Clearly, “at the time,” there was a lot of alcohol involved, and Baekhyun was willing to bet his master thesis that “at the time” they’d also thought they could take on a grizzly bear. He made a mental reminder to never go drinking with the two again. Or at least, to not make Jongdae the designated, so- called “sober friend.”

“You’re welcome for taking you home, by the way,” Jongdae sniffed haughtily and took another sip of his smoothie, which was the perfect shade of vomit green and made Baekhyun want to do just that by looking at it. It looked absolutely disgusting, but he chalked it up to Jongdae’s recent desire to “cleanse” his body and eat healthier, although he wasn’t sure last night was too good for his friend’s food journey. 

“Thank you so much,” Baekhyun bit back sarcastically, and groaned when a wave of nausea swept over him. He buried his face in his arms, ignoring the way his sunglasses were pinned against his nose bridge rather uncomfortably.

“You look terrible, by the way.”

“And you’re just always full of nice things to say, aren’t you?”

Jongdae shrugged and smiled. “Just being honest!”

Baekhyun lifted his head grumpily, forcing himself to take a sip of his water. At least he’d been able to step foot outside his apartment without throwing up so far. The warm weather seemed to actually somewhat soothe his hangover just the tiniest bit. Or perhaps the clearheadedness he felt was just caused by the stabbing pains in his lower back. He couldn’t really tell. 

“Tell me more about this Chanyeol guy,” Baekhyun said in a slightly nicer tone, trying to mask his curiosity by playing with his straw. 

Jongdae smirked and leaned in close. “He was fucking hot. And definitely into you. Why else would I have given you his number? Speaking of which, has he texted you yet?”

Baekhyun bit back a smile as he pulled out his phone, showing Jongdae the picture from the unknown number he’d yet to save or respond to. After all, it seemed Chanyeol had already met Baekhyun, but sober Baekhyun was a whole other story, and it was that side of himself that had been absent last night, and had yet to meet this man.

Jongdae made a noise of approval and waggled his eyebrows, to which Baekhyun pointedly ignored. It wasn’t even a good photo of him, what with his mouth hanging open and what looked like spit forming a dark spot on the tattoo bed. How attractive. 

“I don’t even know what to say. ‘Hi, I’m the idiot that got a tattoo while shitfaced and then passed out in your shop?’ He probably just thought it was funny,” Baekhyun tried to reason, although Jongdae shook his head furiously. 

“No, Baekhyun, you did _ not _ see this guy. I forbid you to turn on your doctor brain and overthink this. If you don’t text him back, I’ll do it for you. This is a beautiful, six feet tall, _ tattooed _ opportunity and life is dangling it right in front of you!” Jongdae exclaimed animatedly. 

Baekhyun still was unsure. Chanyeol was definitely attractive- anyone with somewhat working eyes could tell that, even just from the rather unflattering angle the picture had been taken. It was only until he heard Jongdae’s description of the man that he remembered just where he’d met Chanyeol. 

A tattoo shop. What if Chanyeol was some bad boy, punk, delinquent who was just interested in getting into Baekhyun’s pants and then leaving as fast as he had arrived in Baekhyun’s life? Baekhyun felt like the last thing his life needed was a messy fling- turned- relationship. He would have no idea how to cope with such a traumatic breakup either, his last relationship having been well over three years ago with a boy named Yixing who had soft hands and an even softer heart, and with whom he had broken things off with in a mutual agreement on account of both of them deciding to put their careers first and dating on hold. He was still good friends with Yixing too, which proved that Baekhyun really didn’t have the emotional capability to jump into anything recklessly in a fiery storm of passion and lust. He much preferred a stable relationship, one where he could dip a toe into and test the waters a bit before slowly progressing into something more real.

Chanyeol… a little fling with some bad boy tattoo artist… none of it just seemed practical to Baekhyun.

“Jongdae, I don’t know,” Baekhyun started, and his friend made a noise of frustration. 

“You don’t know because you haven’t even tried? Just try. Text him and get a coffee with him and if that goes bad, then, hey, at least now you know, right? But right now, you don’t even know,” Jongdae explained logically, giving Baekhyun a pointed look before nestling back in his chair and sipping his smoothie. 

Jongdae had a point. With a heavy sigh and his chin resting in the palm of his hand, Baekhyun used the other to hesitantly tap on his phone, pulling up Chanyeol’s still- unsaved number and drafting a quick message.

_ 1:22 PM _

_ To: chanyeol _

_ Wow. It’s like Sleeping Beauty only the ugly version. _

That was funny, right? Baekhyun’s heart thumped in his chest like a hummingbird trying to beat its way out of a cage as his thumb hovered over the send button for a millisecond before quickly tapping it and setting his phone down. 

He did it. He was taking the plunge. He was diving head- first into the waters and floaties were off. 

“Did you text him?” Jongdae asked excitedly, like a little kid waiting to open Christmas presents. Baekhyun handed him the phone, and Jongdae quickly scanned over the conversation before his eyes lit up again, and a sly grin spread over his face.

“Ding, ding, you’ve got mail.”

Baekhyun tried to hide his excitement as Jongdae passed over the phone again, lightly running his tongue over his bottom lip. 

_ 1:22 PM _

_ From: chanyeol _

_ cute and funny. how does burgers and milkshakes sometime this week sound to you? you can give me an anatomy lesson and i can give you some pointers on how to take care of that new tat _

Baekhyun felt like he was in high school all over again, getting asked out by some older senior he was crushing on. It made him feel almost giddy. 

_ 1:23 PM _

_ To: chanyeol _

_ Burgers and milkshakes is always a yes. What about this Friday at 7? _

_ 1:23 PM _

_ From: chanyeol _

_ can’t do friday- got work until 10. how about saturday instead? we can meet at the burger joint just down the street from Loey Ink _

_ 1:23 PM _

_ To: chanyeol _

_ That works. See you then _

_ 1:23 PM _

_ From: chanyeol _

_ See ya then angel face _

“Well?” Jongdae said expectantly. Baekhyun had been grinning at his screen like an absolute idiot, stuck in his own world. 

“He called me angel face,” Baekhyun said in an almost shocked tone, as if he didn’t believe it either, “H- he called me angel face. And I have a date this Saturday.”

Jongdae cheered and fist pumped into the air. “Great! That leaves us three whole days to give you a complete personality change and facial reconstruction,” the dark- haired man joked and drained the last of his smoothie. 

“Jongdae, I’m nervous! He seems so… so… I don’t know,” Baekhyun gave up trying to find the right words to describe the tattoo artist. Dark and brooding? Tall and mysterious? He didn’t have much to go off of, besides Jongdae’s slightly exaggerated recounts of how last night had gone. 

Jongdae waved a hand and got up to leave, Baekhyun following suit. “Don’t sweat it. If anything, just be grateful you don’t look like Luhan right now,” he paused. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. You _ do _ look like shit. But he looks worse!” 

“You know exactly what to say to make me feel better, don’t you?” Baekhyun flashed a sugary sweet fake smile, and then stuck his middle finger up at his friend, who laughed and swung an arm around Baehkyun’s shoulders. 

“Oh Baekie. If I don’t say these things, who will?”

* * *

Under the iridescent glow of the full moon, a tall man with silvery, almost white, colored hair leaned against the railing of a balcony and quietly lit a cigarette, taking a long drag from it and blowing the smoke out in front of him like a dragon. 

“I thought you quit those things.”

Chanyeol turned to look at his friend who had snuck up behind him. He shrugged and faced forward again, staring into the bright city lights below and in the distance. “Just something to take the edge off things,” he said in a slightly sarcastic, bitter tone. 

Jongin sighed and ran his hands through his freshly- dyed hair, the ends still a bit wet from his shower. Chanyeol liked the deep, magenta color more than his friend’s old black hair. It suited Jongin. 

“Hey, you shouldn’t keep your head so wrapped around your old man like this. He wouldn’t want you to either,” Jongin insisted, walking closer to stand next to his friend next to the balcony.

There was a slight breeze in the air that wafted the smell of smoke under Jongin’s nose, and he wrinkled his nose in distaste. “But for the love of god, please stop smoking those things.”

“Sorry,” Chanyeol murmured and took one last drag before smushing the stick right into the wooden railing and successfully putting it out. He really had recently quit cold turkey, although it had been hard to rid himself of the habit completely. Especially with everything that was going on his life at the moment, it was hard to ignore the constant itching for a cigarette, to feel the smooth paper between his fingers and the sweet sensation of relaxation, even if just for a second. 

“Why don’t you and I go somewhere this weekend, hm?” Jongin suggested, leaning on the railing with his elbows, his back faced toward the city view. “This Saturday, you, me, hell we can even invite Taemin and make it a party and go around town.”

The corner of Chanyeol’s mouth quirked up and he glanced at his friend. “Can’t. Got a date Saturday.”

Jongin’s eyes widened comically and he smacked Chanyeol’s tattooed bicep, chuckling. 

“No way. With the short one from yesterday?” 

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol corrected his friend, enjoying the way the name rolled off naturally, “and yes. We’re getting burgers and shakes from down the street.” 

Jongin chortled, and slightly shook his head. “Man, that is classy. Hey, look at you though, snagging a doctor of all people,” he smirked and teased his friend, who just rolled his eyes in response, although failed in disguising his slightly pleased expression.

“It’s not like that though. He’s cute, but who knows,” Chanyeol pushed off the railing and started heading back inside, Jongin trailing not far behind, “he could be completely psycho.”

Neither man said anything as they shuffled inside, but they both were thinking of one name in particular in response to Chanyeol’s last statement. It was almost taboo to utter, for it was a name that came with a lot of ruined memories, of haunted, shattered history and of a bittersweet dream that was just too good to be true. 

Chanyeol’s head and heart felt even heavier than it did before he’d stepped outside for a smoke, and now he was regretting lighting his last cigarette. He felt shaky with some kind of unspoken tension in his body, and he craved a ride on his motorcycle, just to feel the wind in his face and the noise of bustling city life in his ears. Just to feel a bit more alive than usual. 

Oh, how he wished he could just abandon all cares in life and hop on his bike as far as it would take him. Maybe then life would give him a break for once. Maybe if he just cut ties to everything and everyone he held dear to him, he could stop himself from being hurt for once in his godforsaken life and the universe would smile upon him and stop throwing all this bad shit at him. Chanyeol was a firm believer in karma, and he was convinced he must’ve done something in his past life to deserve all the trauma he’d gone through in this one. There was just no way someone could have as bad luck as him. 

Chanyeol sighed as he and Jongin came downstairs just in time to see a client walk in through the door, bell chiming in her arrival. Taemin was seated closest to the door, just finishing up a back piece, and to his left, Kibum was immersed in his own work. 

Chanyeol looked over his shoulder at Jongin, who nodded in understanding. “I got this one. You go home and get some sleep.”

The white haired man flattened his mouth into a line and clapped Jongin’s back gratefully. He didn’t think he was in the right mental space to be thinking creatively about something that would go on someone’s body for the rest of their lives. His bad day was his problem only- a client didn’t deserve to be caught in the crosshairs. 

As he retreated to his office, located just to the right of the stairs in the back of the shop, he collected his things, stuffing everything into his coat pockets and holding only his phone and keys. 

Chanyeol’s tongue was stuck in the corner of his mouth as he played around on his phone, trying to distract his mind from the clusterfuck of problems he still had to deal with. Seeing his conversation with Baekhyun, Chanyeol smiled softly. The man had been very, very intoxicated last night when he had stumbled in with his friends, but he had a special twinkle in his eye, a look of almost adoration when he looked at Chanyeol, that made it hard not to be ensnared in. 

_ 11:31 PM _

_ To: baekhyun _

_ use warm water to wash the tat. pat (dont rub) dry and use the lotion i sent you home with. txt me with any questions _

Content with his message, Chanyeol sent it and stuffed his phone into his back pocket. Seeing Baekhyun this weekend was the only thing Chanyeol had to look forward to. He was hoping that in three days’ time, his life would be slightly less chaotic and he could actually enjoy the date without any of his usual baggage weighing on his mind. 

But for tonight, he had to just get the fuck home and sleep as soon as he could. After all, he had a funeral to attend tomorrow morning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh the possibilities with this one :) im wondering how much angst to actually fit into it... personally I avoid angst like the plague but just a dash can't be too bad right... feedback would be well appreciated in keeping this writing machine going <3


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